“Lights Out” Leading Man Holt McCallany Joined MMA Stars Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock
Live on KTLA to Take a Stand against Bullying
Westlake Village, CA. Mar. 1, 2011 – Bullying is a growing epidemic that is prevalent in nearly every community. It is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students, according to the National Education Association. Last week Holt McCallany, leading man of the hit FX series “Lights Out”, joined MMA stars Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock live on KTLA. The FX star, HDNet “Inside MMA” host, and Showtime Sports Analyst came together to talk about bullying, ways to prevent it, and the benefits of learning self-defense through martial arts. The KTLA Morning News segment aired live from Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA training facility in Westlake Village, California.
During the segment the stars spoke about their experiences with bullying, how mixed martial arts changed their lives, and the importance of taking a stand against this very prevalent epidemic. Fans that tuned in to the KTLA Morning News segment were treated to a rare glimpse of former rivals Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock sharing laughs instead of blows. During one of the live segment teasers, the MMA legends were shown competing against each other in the mixed martial arts video game, EA Sports MMA. Rutten and Shamrock, who are both characters in the game, threw down on screen instead of in the ring, showing kids at home that there are less violent ways to settle a dispute.
Self-defense through mixed martial arts was also a strong focus of the segment. Bas Rutten’s Elite Krav Maga instructors and several young students demonstrated basic self-defense moves based on real-life bullying situations. Krav Maga is touted as one of the most effective “real life” self-defense systems in the world. It’s easy to learn and can be a useful tool to help kids ward off school yard bullies.
According to Bas Rutten, “In a course like Krav Maga students gain a sense of empowerment. They also learn self-control, which is very important when encountering a bullying situation. The Bully usually goes for the insecure guy; the more insecure you look the easier target you are. Once a kid knows how to defend themselves they are very confident and it shows.”
Throughout the segment the stars spoke to KTLA reporter Allie MacKay about their own personal experiences with bullying and how martial arts improved their lives. Rutten pointed out that he had a skin disease as a child and was teased by other kids. Through mixed martial arts training Rutten’s health improved along with his self-confidence, which opened up a whole new world for him.
As an adult, Shamrock experienced bullying of a different kind, an act known as “cyber bullying.” Cyber bulling is when a person uses e-technology such as e-mail or a social media site to victimize others. It is said to be just as damaging, if not more so, than physical bullying. Frank Shamrock’s cyber bullying experience prompted him to spearhead his own anti-bully campaign.
FX “Lights Out” leading man, Holt McCallany, who has also experienced the effects of bullying, is a strong advocate of high profile athletes and celebrities speaking out against it. McCallany had this to say about being bullied as a child and martial arts, “I was sent to a boarding school in Ireland when I was 14 years old and was the only American. I was picked on a lot and learned very quickly that I had to learn to stand up for myself. The self-confidence and discipline gained through mixed martial arts makes a big difference and it will follow you throughout your life. ”
McCallany, Rutten, and Shamrock unanimously agree that the self-esteem building aspect of martial arts can make a big difference in a child’s life, as they are living proof. To view the informative and highly entertaining KTLA Morning News segment on anti-bully/self-defense, please click on the links below:
Holt McCallany, Bas Rutten, and Frank Shamrock talk about bullying:
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/7f6004ed-7f2a-4048-8715-6f85fa1374e8/News/KTLA-MMA-Legends-7AM-
Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock talk bullying, mixed martial arts, and self-confidence:
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/c59176de-76f1-4ee4-8dd3-ba1a67c4d863/News/KTLA-MMA-Legends-5AM-
Krav Maga techniques based on real life bullying situations featuring Bas Rutten:
http://www.ktla.com/videobeta/c59176de-76f1-4ee4-8dd3-ba1a67c4d863/News/KTLA-MMA-Legends-5AM-
For more information on Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA and the classes that they offer, please visit www.elitemmagym.com. For facts and helpful information on bullying, please visit www.bullying.org and www.cyberbullying.org.
About Holt McCallany:
Holt McCallany stars on the new FX series Lights Out in which he plays a boxer with pugilistic dementia who struggles to support his family. He can also be seen in the Warner Bros. feature The Losers in theaters now and has appeared in numerous films and popular television shows such as CSI Miami. To learn more about Holt, please visit www.holtmccallany.net.
About Bas Rutten and Frank Shamrock:
Bas Rutten is a well-recognized color commentator, accredited actor, television host, coach and entrepreneur. He is also a children’s fitness advocate on the Cartoon Network and a participant in the networks highly publicized “anti-bullying” campaign, and popular host on HDNet’s “Inside MMA.” To learn more about Bas Rutten, please visit www.Basrutten.com.
Frank Shamrock is an MMA color commentator on CBS, Showtime, and ESPN2 and is internationally known as one of the world’s top martial arts instructors and trainers. Shamrock, also an accomplished author, wrote the popular book “Mixed Martial Arts for Dummies.” For more information about Frank Shamrock, please log on to www.Frankshamrock.com.
